


Coda: Dressed Up Like A Fire

by ThisAintBC



Series: Star-Spangled Heart [4]
Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Coda, Flash Fic, Halloween, Halloween Costumes, Kent Parson King of Drama, M/M, Size Difference
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-11
Updated: 2019-04-11
Packaged: 2020-01-11 20:35:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18431612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThisAintBC/pseuds/ThisAintBC
Summary: A coda to the Star-Spangled Heart AU, although you definitely don't need to have read the series to understand it. Intended to be lighthearted comedic fluff but Kent insisted on having a moment of angst.





	Coda: Dressed Up Like A Fire

**Author's Note:**

> Set between Bright Light City and No/Nay/Never.

“I cannot believe you talked me into this,” Kent groans. From the other side of the counter, Adam wiggles his eyebrows, and he rolls his eyes in response. Jeff’s laughter is still echoing in from the living room.

“I’ll make it worth your while, babe,” Adam’s over-the-top leer is cheesier than the plate of nachos he’s carefully constructing. 

Adam had, somehow, managed at the last minute to convince him that they should go to Jeff’s Halloween party, which wasn’t that bad in and of itself, but—

“I regret,” he says, serious as a funeral, “every choice that has led to this moment.”

“Aww, don’t say that, babe, you know I saw you checking out my abs earlier.”

“I can,” he draws himself up with wounded dignity, “check out your abs any time I want, without all of—this.”

This being, of course, Adam’s further decision that they should come dressed as each other. Kent’s not even sure at what point he said yes in the whirlwind of pleading and cajoling that followed his horrified initial reaction, but he knows that he needs to build up some kind of resistance to Adam’s puppy dog eyes. He can’t keep finding himself in these situations.

Adam’s look, he has to admit, isn’t all that bad—Kent’s old Q jersey strains across his chest and barely reaches past his ribcage, but he’s not above preening about the fact that he’s the one that gets to take him home. The Aces snapback is a nice touch, and while he’s not in love with the reactions to Adam’s Hawaiian print swim trunks he has been known to rock a floral pattern here and there. It’s—fine. A little embarrassing, but fine.

Adam’s jersey, hanging loosely off his shoulders and long enough to virtually cover up Kent's shorts, is not fine. The picture they make side by side—one far too big, the other far too small—fills him with an emotion he doesn’t want to name. They’re mismatched, an odd couple if ever there was one, but it’d be nice if the universe didn’t shove it in his face quite so blatantly.

“Mini-me!” Jeff crows from the living room, and Kent sets aside his feelings to go tackle his best friend into the rug. Being shorter than the average NHL player does have its advantages, after all, even if dressing up as your boyfriend for Halloween isn't one of them.

**Author's Note:**

> Title from Panic! At The Disco's "It's Almost Halloween".
> 
> Ironically, aside from their height Holster and Kent actually look pretty similar.
> 
> I could not get this image out of my head, but the scene doesn't really fit into the main trilogy—so here, have it as a standalone.
> 
> Now that the series is completed, anyone who wants to is welcome to play in this sandbox, but please let me know if you do!


End file.
